There are conventional game systems in which game inputs are made by a player moving a controller device. For example, there are game systems in which a game process is executed using the attitude of the controller device as a game input. Where the attitude of the controller device is used as a game input, the attitude to be the reference (reference attitude) is pre-determined in some cases, where the attitude of the controller device at the point in time when a button operation is performed, for example, is used as the reference attitude.
Such an operation described above of setting the reference attitude is preferably performed more naturally without the player becoming conscious of the setting operation.
Therefore, the present specification discloses a game system, a game process method, a game device, and a storage medium having a game program stored thereon, with which the reference attitude of the controller device can be set through a natural operation.
(1)
An example game system described in the present specification executes a game control process based on an attitude of a controller device in response to a predetermined game operation performed on the controller device. The game system includes a first input accepting unit, a tentative reference setting unit, an additional input accepting unit, a reference attitude determination unit, and a control process unit.
The first input accepting unit accepts, as a first input, the predetermined game operation performed before the game control process. The tentative reference setting unit sets, as a tentative reference attitude, the attitude of the controller device when the first input was made. The additional input accepting unit for further accepts, as an additional input, the predetermined game operation performed after the first input in a state where the attitude of the controller device is within a predetermined range defined by the tentative reference attitude. The reference attitude determination unit determines, in response to a predetermined number of additional inputs, a reference attitude using at least one of the tentative reference attitude and attitudes of the controller device when the predetermined number of additional inputs were made. The control process unit executes the game control process based on the attitude of the controller device and the reference attitude.
With configuration (1) above, the first input and the additional inputs are made through a similar game operation to the predetermined game operation which is performed in the game control process. The reference attitude used in the game control process is determined using at least one of the attitudes assumed when these inputs are made. Therefore, the user can perform the operation of determining the reference attitude through the same operation as that performed in the game control process (during the game), thus allowing the reference attitude to be set through a natural operation.
With configuration (1) above, since the reference attitude is determined based on a plurality of attitudes associated with a plurality of inputs, i.e., the first input and the additional inputs, it is possible to precisely determine the reference attitude.
Moreover, with configuration (1) above, an additional input is accepted on the condition that the input is made in a state where the attitude of the controller device is within a predetermined range defined by the tentative reference attitude. If the predetermined game operation is performed in an attitude that is totally different from the tentative reference attitude (e.g., in an erroneous operation), the game operation is not considered as being an additional input. Therefore, it is possible to ignore inputs made in erroneous operations, and it is possible to precisely determine the reference attitude.
(2)
The control process unit may execute, as the game control process, a control of an action of an object based on the attitude of the controller device and the reference attitude. Then, the game system further includes an action control unit for executing a control of the same kind as the control of the action of the object executed in the game control process, in response to at least one of the first input and the predetermined number of additional inputs.
With configuration (2) above, when a first input and/or an additional input is made, an operation similar to the predetermined game operation performed in the game control process is performed in the virtual space. Therefore, the user will consider the input operation for determining the reference attitude as if it were a practice of the game operation, for example, and it is therefore possible to further reduce the sense of unnaturalness of the input operation.
(3)
The control process unit may execute, as the game control process, a control of moving a first object in a direction determined based on the attitude of the controller device. Then, the action control unit executes a control of moving a second object, which is the same as or different from the first object, in a direction determined based on at least one of the first input and the predetermined number of additional inputs.
With configuration (3) above, the control of moving the object is executed both when a first input and/or an additional input is made and during the game control process. Thus, it is possible to further reduce the sense of unnaturalness of the input operation for determining the reference attitude.
(4)
In response to an additional input having being made, the reference attitude determination unit updates the tentative reference attitude using the attitude of the controller device when the additional input was made.
With configuration (4) above, each time an additional input is made, the tentative reference attitude is revised, and the predetermined range also changes accordingly. Therefore, the game system can set the predetermined range to be an appropriate range each time an additional input is made.
(5)
When the predetermined number of additional inputs are made, the reference attitude determination unit may determine the tentative reference attitude as the reference attitude.
With configuration (5) above, it is possible to easily calculate the reference attitude using the tentative reference attitude.
(6)
The game system may further include a cancellation unit for canceling the setting of the tentative reference attitude if the predetermined game operation is performed in a state where the attitude of the controller device is out of the predetermined range after the first input and before completion of the predetermined number of additional inputs. Then, when the setting of the tentative reference attitude is canceled, the tentative reference setting unit re-sets, as the tentative reference attitude, the attitude of the controller device when the predetermined game operation was performed after the cancellation of the setting.
With configuration (6) above, if the predetermined game operation is performed in a state where the attitude of the controller device is out of the predetermined range, the tentative reference attitude, which has been set, is reset, and thereafter the first input is accepted anew. Therefore, with configuration (6) above, when the predetermined game operation is performed in an orientation that is significantly different from the tentative reference attitude, the user can start over the operation of making a first input and additional inputs. Thus, when the user erroneously performs a predetermined game operation, the user can start over the input, whereby it is possible to precisely determine the reference attitude.
(7)
The game system may further include a display control unit for generating an image representing a virtual space including a predetermined object therein, and displaying the image on a display device separate from the controller device when the first input and the additional input have been accepted. Then, the control process unit executes the game control process of calculating an action direction of an object in the virtual space based on the attitude of the controller device and the reference attitude. The control process unit also calculates, as the action direction, a direction corresponding to a display position of the predetermined object when the attitude of the controller device when the predetermined game operation is performed is equal to the reference attitude.
With configuration (7) above, the user is allowed to actually control the attitude of the controller device 2 so as to point toward the predetermined object and perform the predetermined game operation in a plurality of iterations while the attitude stays (substantially) constant, thereby determining the reference attitude. Thus, it is possible to precisely calculate the reference attitude.
(8)
The control process unit may execute the game control process of determining an action direction of an object in a virtual space based on the attitude of the controller device and the reference attitude. Then, the game system further includes an amount of change determination unit for determining an amount of change in the action direction with respect to an amount of change in the attitude based on a difference between at least two of the tentative reference attitude and attitudes associated with a plurality of additional inputs. The control process unit executes the game control process based on the amount of change in the action direction.
With configuration (8) above, the amount of change in the action direction of the object with respect to the amount of change in the attitude of the controller device is determined based on the inputs (the first input and the additional inputs). Therefore, by making inputs for determining the reference attitude, the user can freely set the amount of change.
(9)
The game system may further include a display control unit for generating an image representing a virtual space including a plurality of predetermined objects therein, and displaying the image on a display device different from the controller device when the first input and the additional input have been accepted. Then, the control process unit executes the game control process of calculating an action direction of an object in a virtual space based on the attitude of the controller device and the reference attitude. Moreover, the game system further includes an amount of change determination unit for performing, for each input, a process of associating each of the first input and the additional input with one of the plurality of objects, and determining an amount of change in the action direction with respect to an amount of change in the attitude of the controller device based on an amount of change between two attitudes associated with any two of the inputs and a distance between two objects associated with the two inputs. The control process unit executes the game control process based on the amount of change in the action direction.
With configuration (9) above, as with configuration (8) above, by making inputs for determining the reference attitude, the user can freely set the amount of change. The user can also easily set the amount of change by performing the predetermined game operation while pointing the controller device toward each object displayed on the display device.
(10)
The controller device may further include a position detection unit for detecting a position at which an input has been made on a predetermined input surface. Then, the predetermined game operation is an operation of specifying a position on the input surface.
With configuration (10) above, the game operation can be performed through an operation of specifying a position on the input surface, thus realizing an intuitive and easy-to-understand operation.
(11)
The controller device may include a sensor unit including a gyrosensor and/or an acceleration sensor. Then, the game system further includes an attitude calculation unit for calculating the attitude of the controller device based on an output from the sensor unit.
With configuration (11) above, by using the detection result of the gyrosensor and/or the acceleration sensor, it is possible to easily calculate the attitude of the controller device.
Note that the present specification discloses an example game device including various units that are equivalent to the various units recited in configurations (1) to (11) above, and discloses an example non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a game program capable of causing a computer of a game device to function as units equivalent to the various units. The present specification also discloses an example game process method to be carried out in configurations (1) to (11) above.
With the game system, the game process method, the game device and the storage medium having the game program stored thereon described above, inputs for determining the reference attitude are made through a game operation similar to the predetermined game operation performed in the game control process, thus allowing the user to set the reference attitude through a natural operation.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.